AJ Styles, whose real name is Allen Neal Jones, is a professional wrestler with a net worth of $4 million. He currently performs for WWE’s SmackDown brand but has a long history in various wrestling promotions, including TNA, NWA, and NJPW, where he has won numerous championships. Styles is particularly notable for becoming the first wrestler to win the WWE Championship outside of North America, further cementing his legacy in the wrestling world.
Born on June 2, 1977, in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Styles had a challenging childhood, growing up in poverty with an abusive, alcoholic father. Despite these hardships, he excelled in sports during his youth. While attending Johnson High School in Gainesville, Georgia, he became a two-time state wrestling champion. After graduating in 1996, Styles attended Anderson University in South Carolina, where he pursued higher education while continuing to develop his passion for wrestling.
Styles began his professional wrestling career in 1998 with the Georgia-based National Championship Wrestling, using the ring name “Mr. Olympia.” His early years included stints with independent promotions, where he adopted the name AJ Styles. His breakthrough came when he joined Ring of Honor (ROH) in 2002, where he quickly became a key player, winning the ROH Tag Team Championship and later the inaugural ROH Pure Championship. Styles continued to build his career in the independent circuit, performing in various promotions like IWC, PWG, and CZW, winning multiple championships along the way.
From 2002 to 2013, Styles had a highly successful career in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), where he won numerous championships, including the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. In 2009, he made history by holding the TNA World Heavyweight Championship for a record 211 days. Styles also became involved in various feuds and alliances, forming significant partnerships with wrestlers like Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle, and Christopher Daniels.
In addition to his work in TNA, Styles appeared in Japanese and Mexican promotions from 2006 to 2013, notably with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he captured the IWGP Heavyweight Championship twice. After leaving TNA in 2013, Styles continued his wrestling career on the independent circuit before joining WWE in early 2016. That year, he defeated Dean Ambrose to become the WWE World Champion, marking a career milestone. Styles continued his success in WWE, claiming multiple championships, including the United States Championship, the WWE Championship (for the first time outside North America), and the Intercontinental Championship.
Outside of wrestling, AJ Styles leads a private life with his wife, Wendy, whom he married in 2000. Together, they have three sons and a daughter. The family resides in Gainesville, Georgia, where Styles continues to live a grounded and family-oriented lifestyle.
AJ Styles’ career has been defined by his ability to adapt and succeed across various wrestling promotions, and he remains one of the most respected and accomplished wrestlers in the industry. His impact on WWE and the global wrestling scene is undeniable, with a legacy built on hard work, talent, and perseverance.
